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Record Crowd Anticipated For Boxing Day Derby

Edinburgh and Glasgow are bracing themselves for a record crowd in the first leg of the David Lloyd 1872 Cup at Murrayfield on Friday 26 December (kick-off 7.30pm). The last time the two teams met at the home of Scottish Rugby for a Magners League fixture, they attracted a tournament home record attendance (6, 225) for Edinburgh.

As a result, Edinburgh chief executive Nic Cartwright is confident the 2008 meeting will smash that figure.Cartwright said: "This is the biggest game in Scotland and the David Lloyd 1872 Cup seems to have captured the imagination of not only the nation's rugby enthusiasts, but the country as a whole.

“Last season we were delighted to draw a record Magners League crowd for an Edinburgh home match and now we are confident of surpassing that figure this time around."

Tickets are still available for the Boxing Day derby - priced at £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for under 18s and can be purchased by calling the ticket hotline on 0131 346 5180 or by logging onto www.edinburghrugby.org.

Cartwright continued: “Our last home match saw 7, 711 watch us take on Wasps and in the process we set a new club attendance record in the Heineken Cup so we are aiming to build on that momentum even further by generating a record breaking crowd for the opening derby game against Glasgow. I’m urging supporters to arrive at Murrayfield early to avoid the queues and enjoy the special pre-match build-up. Boxing Day is traditionally a day where people spend time with their families, so it would be great if supporters can bring along some friends and family to the game. It’s going to be great family entertainment and promises to be a wonderful sporting occasion.”

The offer enabled those who got behind the national team during the Bank of Scotland Corporate Autumn Tests - against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada - to claim a free ticket for the match and Cartwright says he has been greatly encouraged by the response.

He added: “We realise that a vast number of spectators who will be coming to the derby match on Boxing Day have potentially never been to a Magners League game before. It promises to be a great spectacle and a showcase of the quality of Scottish professional rugby.

“Those who come early to the game are invited to the President’s Suite in the West Stand where we will be hosting a pre-match party from 6pm.” (Please note capacity limitations apply).

The first 300 adults in the President’s Suite will be entitled to free mince pies and mulled wine, so supporters are advised to come early and enjoy the pre-match entertainment including action on the big screens.

Meanwhile, Glasgow chief executive Ian Riddoch says he is expecting a vast army of Glasgow Warriors to cross the M8 for the game with the supporters from the West set to sit in the East Stand.

Riddoch said: “Glasgow fans will once again be travelling to Murrayfield in their thousands to make some serious noise. We are expecting to see an army of Glasgow fans at the game all doing what they do best, getting right behind their team.”

Riddoch believes the double-header between the country’s two professional teams will be another progressive step in their development over the past 18 months; both on and off the pitch.

He added: “We have seen continued growth in terms of increased crowds at both Edinburgh and Glasgow. Both teams recorded their best ever finishes in the Magners League last season and the excitement generated over the two derby matches made the occasions very special.

“Last year, we had a joint crowd of 11,000 for the two games and we are hoping the crowd at Murrayfield will more than exceed that. We hope it will be another record crowd at the Firhill Arena on 2 January (kick-off 3pm) when we see which team will win the David Lloyd 1872 Cup.”